Turning Point
by cjulina
Summary: Following the events of Countrycide, Jack considers the state of Torchwood


Jack's hands clenched the steering wheel with white-knuckled fury. The care and caution he utilized in gently maneuvering the SUV through the pulsating traffic belied the all-consuming wrath he was barely containing. He consciously avoided allowing his gaze to fall onto any of the vehicle's occupants. A single glance at their bruises, cuts, or the lost, horrified, bewildered looks in their eyes would have destroyed his carefully constructed false veneer of control.

He needed to be strong. He needed to be calm. Jack's fingers tightened around the steering wheel until it creaked in protest. He needed to pummel the perpetrators until their bodies became bloody mounds of lifeless pulp. _I'm such a fool. When the reports of missing people came in, I thought it was the perfect opportunity. A short jaunt to get us out of the Hub, away from Cardiff and onto neutral territory. All I wanted was for us to stop being five people who simply worked together. A team. I wanted us to become a full-fledged team, learning each other's strengths, working to compensate for the weaknesses. A real, honest to goodness team, instead of a team in theory only. To get past the politics, the job titles, to accept each other as equals. _Jack's thoughts paused for just a moment as his eyes unwilling glanced towards Ianto slumped in the passenger's seat. _To put to rest the distrust of the past._

He eased the SUV to such a smooth stop in the underground car park it took several moments for the others to realize they had finally arrived. Jack exited the vehicle, opened the back door, and gingerly assisted Tosh out. Fury blazed again as he took in the scratches on her arms and face, the purpling bruise on her neck from when she was choked, and her bandaged wrists where the rope bindings had scraped her skin raw. Jack wanted nothing more than to envelope her in his arms, to keep the world at bay, and to wrap her in a shroud of strength and security. Instead Owen's strident, almost belligerent, voice intruded to remind him that there was still more to do. Jack reached up, gently brushing a lock of hair from Tosh's face, doing his best to silently relay to her dazed eyes that she was safe. He then gently nudged her away from the open door so Owen could exit the vehicle.

Leaving Tosh for the moment, the two men moved to the other side of the SUV and carefully assisted Gwen out of the vehicle. Her eyes were slightly glassy, a result of the horrors of the day as well as the fairly strong pain meds that had been administered by the A&E. She was deep in thought, Jack realized, still trying to understand the inexplicable. Gwen was, without a doubt, tenacious. She would spend the next days, weeks, months, possibly even years, struggling to understand why her own species would lower themselves to such depravity. In time, he reflected, she would become as jaded as the rest of Torchwood, somehow accepting without understanding, that humanity could rise to the heights of compassion and ingenuity as well as lower themselves to the depths of brutality and evil.

Jack suppressed a grim smile as Owen unsubtly shoved him away from Gwen. Owen, so detached, so eager to offend anyone who might break through the barriers he erected to keep others at arm's length, was hovering over Gwen. He had done the same thing at the A&E until the medical staff had ordered him out of the examination room. Though it was true that Owen had observed and insistently interfered with the staff as they treated Tosh and Ianto, he had devoted most of his attention to Gwen. Something had changed between the two, of that Jack was sure. What and how it would affect the two was yet to be determined. With a bit of effort, Jack finally convinced Owen to leave Gwen's side.

They quickly moved to get Ianto out of the vehicle. Every movement manifested with groans and grimaces, giving testament to the sheer excruciating pain he was experiencing. Under normal circumstances, Ianto kept a stoic, rather reserved front, rarely allowing anyone to experience the wit, wisdom, and incredible strength of character carefully concealed in his depths. Only under the most extreme situations did the walls crumble, allowing the carefully suppressed emotions and feelings to surface. It took the death of his cyber-girlfriend and now being beaten within an inch of his life for Ianto's emotions to burst out of the rigid confines.

Gwen and Tosh moved ahead, holding the doors wide as Owen and Jack carefully guided Ianto into the Hub. After gently seating Ianto, Owen headed to the autopsy area, collecting necessary tools and supplies to give him yet another thorough examination. Jack stood nearby, observing the others. Tosh shrouding herself in the comfort of familiar surroundings, grounding herself as she trailed fingers lightly along the computer screens situated on her desk. Gwen watching anxiously until Owen returned to the central area. Ianto staring at his own shaky hands, seemingly trying to decipher whose they were. Each had separated into their own worlds; hardly the team building effect he'd hoped would result.

Owen returned, brusque as usual. With clinical indifference, he poked and prodded Ianto. The only variation from his usual manner of examining Torchwood employees was the decided absence of snarky commentary. He completed his examination with an unnecessary adjustment to the wrappings around Ianto's cracked ribs. With a brief nod, he stepped away, saying, "He took no further damage from the ill-conceived idea of letting him leave the hospital."

Jack suppressed a snarl of annoyance. He and Owen had already had a rather heated argument in the A&E waiting room on this very topic. It had gotten so intense, in fact, that only the threat of being tossed out by security had ended it, or delayed it as was the case. It wasn't that Jack disagreed with Owen. He firmly believed Ianto should be in a hospital ward, cared around the clock by medical staff until his extensive injuries were more manageable. But unlike Jack, Owen hadn't been in the room with Ianto when the doctor had made the recommendation for a lengthy hospital stay. The renewed fear rolling off Ianto had been almost overwhelming in the tiny space. His pleading eyes clearly expressed what he was unable to voice. _Don't leave me here. Don't leave me surrounded by strangers._

So Jack had reluctantly relented, knowing that Ianto's injuries were not solely of a physical nature. The psychological and emotional injuries also needed to be tended, something that would not happen if Ianto was constantly on-guard, continually alarmed by unfamiliar people surrounding him. Using his considerable charm, and not holding back on his arrogance, Jack manipulated the doctor into releasing Ianto into his care, giving a firm promise that the injured man would be continually monitored.

Jack quickly moved to the center of the room, taking his best 'leader' pose with feet firmly spread apart, hands on his hips, back ramrod straight, and a determined look to his face. "Alright. This is what is going to happen. You," Jack paused to pierce Gwen, Owen and Tosh with a firm look, "are going to go home. You will get some rest. You will take the next few days off but you will call in first thing every morning to let me know you are doing okay. You will not come into work, barring an apocalypse, until I say so." His manner and stance relaxed, a beguiling smile gracing his lips. "Call me anytime, day or night if you need to talk or if you simply need to hear my sexy voice." Gwen and Tosh grinned as Jack had hoped. And, also as Jack had hoped, Owen scowled. "Now get out of here."

In less than thirty seconds, the three had collected their things and silently headed out the exit. Jack blinked in surprise as he watched Ianto slowly rise from his chair, reach into his pocket for his keys, and then excruciatingly start to follow the others. Jack remained quiet until Ianto, with an intense grimace of pain, attempted to climb down the short flight of stairs leading to the cog door.

"Just where do you think you're going?"

The man didn't turn, but merely responded with an agony layered voice. "Home, sir."

With an uncanny swiftness, Jack maneuvered around Ianto, standing as a solid barrier to the exit. "You were given two options, Ianto Jones. Option one was the hospital. Option two was staying here where I can keep an eye on you. I don't believe there was a third option involving you going home."

A tsunami of belligerence collided against a steel barricade of determination. The two men faced off, bodies held rigid, eyes unblinkingly staring, neither willing to give an inch. They would have continued that way indefinitely had Jack not noticed the other man's eyes tightening with pain, his breath beginning to labor from the strain of remaining upright. So Jack relaxed his stance just slightly, just enough to show he was trying to be sensible. When he spoke it was quiet and calm, with just a touch of pleading. "I promised that you wouldn't be left alone tonight. I need to be here if something happens, in case there is any Rift activity."

Ianto's only response was to turn his gaze to stare intently at a point just over Jack's shoulder, his face still tense with obstinacy and his fist tightening significantly on the keys he held. Jack let out a soft sigh and moved to place a hand on his shoulder. "I'd take you home if I could but it's just not possible."

Jack waited as the minutes ticked by until Ianto gave a nearly imperceptible nod. Relief washed over him. Since the incident with the Cyberwoman, he and Ianto had been guarded with each other, cautiously moving to restore their working relationship. A relationship that had, understandably, become a potential minefield of misunderstanding, anger, and lingering senses of betrayals on both parties. Had Ianto stubbornly stuck with the notion of going home, the careful efforts both had put in to the last several weeks would have been destroyed.

He moved his hand from Ianto's shoulder to sweep it across his back, guiding him back to the central space. Jack pensively studied the surrounding area. "The side room with the bunks is too far away. I wouldn't be able to hear if you called out." With a look towards his office, he continued, "And in your condition I doubt you could make it down the ladder to my bed."

Ianto gave a rough bark of a laugh. "Only you, sir, would use this situation to try to get me into your bed."

Jack angled himself to be standing toe to toe with the other man, raising a hand to cup his cheek. He began trailing his fingers from Ianto's temple down to his lips. With a sultry voice, he whispered, "_When, _my dear Ianto, you are in my bed, it will be because you begged." He gently brushed his calloused thumb over Ianto's lips. "Mark my words. One day soon you _will_ be in my bed and you _will beg_."

The hitch in Ianto's breath and his suddenly erratic pulse had nothing at all to do with his injuries. His gaze flickered from Jack's eyes down to his lips and back again. Since the incident with Lisa, there had been no flirting, no inappropriate comments. Gone were the intentionally 'accidental' touches and borderline gropes by Jack. That Jack had not only reasserted his flirting but stepped up the campaign several notches clearly perplexed the young man. Jack gave him an almost predatory smirk before taking mercy on him. "The sofa."

"Sir?"

Jack smirk grew to a full-fledged grin. "The sofa. Over there, behind Tosh's desk. That'll just have to do for tonight." He led Ianto over to it, giving it a studied once over. "Can't say it's going to be the most comfortable place to sleep but it's the best I can come up with."

Ianto gave a rueful frown. "I doubt even the softest mattress would be very comfortable right now."

"I suspect that's true. Alright, you get settled and I'll go dig up a change of clothes, a pillow and blanket."

Jack headed to his office, dropped down the hatch to his quarters, dug out a pair of soft cotton trousers and stripped the blanket and pillow off the bed. He was just about to climb the ladder back up when he paused for a moment, needing to purge himself somewhat of the overwhelming sense of failure. _I'm their bloody leader. I'm supposed to protect him. Protect all of them. Some team-building outing, wasn't it? I nearly got them all killed. They're even less of a team than they were before. And it's all my fault._ Jack gave himself a firm mental shake. _Now is not the time. Concentrate on Ianto. Get him comfortable. Get him to sleep and then you can indulge in self-flagellation._ He hauled himself up the ladder, swept back through his office and over to where Ianto was neatly placing his socks and shoes under the sofa.

He dropped the pillow and blanket at one end of the settee before handing the trousers over. "You need help changing?"

"I can manage." The icy frostiness left no room for rebuttal.

Jack looked lamely around. "So, uh, how about I get you something to drink? A bottle of water perhaps?" After receiving Ianto's curt nod, he wandered over to the kitchen area. Grabbing the water from the fridge took less than five seconds. Idly wiping down the counter took another thirty. He contemplated turning on the kettle, thinking Ianto might appreciate some tea, but quickly dismissed that notion. All the while he listened intently, monitoring for any noises that would indicate Ianto needed help. None came and Jack continued to wait, wondering how much longer he should give before checking on him.

"You decent?"

Something like a breathless grunt wafted up towards him. Cautiously, Jack peered towards Ianto. He'd managed to change his clothes and was slumped back on the sofa, his chest and face covered with sweat from the effort. Jack quickly turned, filled a nearby bowl with warm water, and grabbed a towel and the nearby bottle of water. With a quiet efficiency, he set the items on the coffee table, dipped the towel in the warm water and gently worked at washing away the sweat.

Neither made eye contact. Ianto stared at the water tower, seemingly captivated by the falling water. Jack stared at the darkening bruises covering Ianto's chest, neck, arms and face. When Jack finally spoke, it was barely more than a whisper.

"They really did a number on you."

"Yes," was the unemotional, almost indifferent reply.

Jack finally raised his eyes towards Ianto who was still intensely studying the cascading water. "Maybe you should be in the hospital."

"No!" When Ianto met his eyes, there was no doubting the determination, nor the fear that lurked just below the surface. "I … I want to be here."

Jack straightened from where he was kneeling, grabbed the blanket, briskly shaking out the wrinkles. With much effort, and more than a few muffled groans, Ianto stretched out, twisting his body to gain as comfortable a position as possible. Jack spread the blanket over him before bending down. "You need anything? Another pain pill?"

"No, nothing," came the drowsy reply. "Just sleep."

Jack gave into the impulse to brush a stray lock of hair off the man's forehead before straightening up. "Yell out if you need anything. I'll just be in my office." He powered down the machinery and was nearly to his office door when he heard a pained grunt. Turning around he found Ianto had lifted himself up on one elbow, staring at him with an inscrutable gaze. Gone was the blank indifference on his face that he had worn like a shroud since Lisa's death. Jack wasn't sure what it was but he could sense that something had changed for the both of them.

"Jack, thank you."

"You're welcome."

They continued to stare at one another until Ianto failed in his attempt to stifle a yawn. He then gave Jack a curt nod and settled himself back down, quickly drifting into sleep. He missed Jack's returned nod, one that was slow and somewhat hesitant.

Jack sat himself at his desk, steepling his fingers as he contemplated what had just happened. A flag of truce had been offered and accepted. He wasn't sure how long the truce would last or in what direction their relationship would now take but it was a start. _At least one good thing has come of all this. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make things right between us. And the least I can do is get caught up with the backlog of paperwork._ Jack smiled. _An empty inbox always makes Ianto happy._

He'd been plodding through the many costing reports, material requisition forms, and mission summaries for nearly an hour when the proximity alarms sounded. He began yelling before he even made it to the doorway. "Ianto, if you dare try to sneak out of here ..." The rant ended as he saw that the young man was still asleep on the sofa.

Before the cog door had fully rolled out of the way, Toshiko was slipping through the entry. Over one shoulder she carried a haphazardly packed overnight bag, a wrinkled sleeve dangling from the top. It was obvious to Jack that she had simply thrown her leather jacket over the clothes she'd worn to bed before heading to the Hub. Clad in a pair of well-worn pajama bottoms, the time-softened fabric covered with faded images of sushi and a t-shirt that was at least five sizes too large for her slight frame, the look was somehow very Tosh-like. _Comfort clothes. I guess all of us are feeling the need for comfort and protection right now._

He was over to her side before she was even aware of his presence. "Nice slippers."

Tosh looked down in confusion at the fuzzy pink slippers with the impossibly large rabbit ears rising from the toes. "A gift from Owen last Christmas."

His smile faded as he took in her red-rimmed eyes. "Is everything alright?"

Her voice was even quieter than normal. "Yes." Jack simply waited. "No." There was another slight pause before she continued. "I just didn't want to be alone." Anything else she might have said was forgotten as she found herself held flush against his body, his arms wrapping tightly around her, bodies gently rocking. Jack released her as soon as he felt her pull away.

"How's Ianto?"

He tilted his head towards the sleeping man. "He seems okay, all things considered. He's still resting."

Tosh scurried over to him, gently tugging the blanket up to his chin. To Jack's eyes, it was much like how a mother fusses over a sleeping child.

"He saved me, you know?" She reached down to brush a hand through his hair. "He risked everything. Gave no thought to his own safety to give me the chance to escape. If he hadn't, we'd both be …" Her voice trailed off with a shudder.

He approached and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You're safe now."

Tosh turned, catching his eyes, continuing as if she hadn't heard him. "He was magnificent, Jack. For a first field assignment, he was magnificent. There was a moment or two that he nearly lost it, but he pulled himself together when it counted most. And, none of us can say that we didn't have similar moments out there." She turned her attention back to the sleeping man. "I've seen so much working for Torchwood. I've found myself in situations that horrified me, seen things that kept me up for nights. But nothing compares to this. I've never been so terrified before. For all the aliens I've faced, all the times I've been in danger, it was a insane man chasing me through the wilderness with a machete that …" The trembling came back with full force.

Tosh found herself wrapped in Jack's strong hug for a second time that day. "It's alright, Tosh. You're alright. You're safe now and they can't hurt anyone ever again. We've seen to that." Jack continued to hold her until her sobs turned to trickles of tears and then to a dainty hiccup.

She pulled back to stare into his red-rimmed eyes, the unshed tears welling and glistening. "He's going to think he failed us. He's going to think he let us down." Her voice became almost angry. "But he didn't. He was …"

Tosh didn't have the chance to finish her sentence because Jack did it for her. "Magnificent. He is that, isn't he?"

She nodded, swaying slightly from exhaustion.

"You really should get some sleep." Jack looked at her with concern. "Think you can try?"

"I … I think so," she replied with a wry smile.

"The bunks are all set up with blankets and pillows. It's far enough from here that you shouldn't be disturbed if the Rift alarm goes off."

She looked off into the direction of the side room with the bunks and then back to Ianto. With a quiet, meek voice, she said, "I don't want to be alone, Jack."

With quick comprehension, he gently smiled. "How about you help me shift the coffee table and then we grab a mattress, blanket and pillow from a bunk? It won't be comfortable but you can sleep out here and be close should Ianto need you."

With a bright smile, Tosh grabbed one end of the table and waited for Jack to grab the other end. After shifting the table and a quick run to the bunk area, Tosh was sitting on a thin mattress, legs curled under her, holding one of Ianto's slack hands.

"How about a nice cup of tea? I'm not worth squat with coffee but my tea is drinkable." He didn't wait for her answer before heading off to the kitchen area. Once there he set the kettle to boil, set out a mug, and dug around until he found a pack of chamomile tea. He let the tea steep the perfect amount of time, stirred in a spoonful of sugar, and then dropped in a fast-acting sedative. _Tosh will be furious in the morning when she realizes that I drugged her but she needs sleep. A deep, dreamless, restful sleep._

He handed her the mug and then settled on the floor next to her. They talked of everything and nothing, all the while Jack was watching her closely as she sipped her tea. Barely half was drunk before her eyes drooped close and the ceramic cup teetered dangerously in her hand. He took the mug, setting it safely off to the side. Scooping her up, he tenderly placed Tosh on the mattress, head gently resting on the pillow. He carefully arranged the blanket and then headed back to his office.

Another hour passed before the proximity alarm sounded again. Jack was only remotely surprised to see Gwen entering the Hub. Her hair was mussed, not from sleep but from what looked to have been rather energetic sex. _Tosh finds her comfort in old clothes while Gwen finds her comfort in Rhys' arms._ Jack frowned as he noted the shirt Gwen was wearing. It was one that Owen had worn just last week. _Or Owen's as the case may be._ He wasn't sure how he felt about the situation but Gwen had to make her own way in the world as well as discover her own footing in Torchwood. He could guide her, support her, but ultimately she had to do it herself.

"I know you told me to stay home but I wanted to check on Ianto." She lifted her chin in defiance as if she expected an argument.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and after just a moment she wrapped one around his waist. "And you didn't want to be alone."

There was a slight smile on her lips as she repeated the words back to him. "And I didn't want to be alone."

Jack understood. They'd had a long conversation the night he'd offered the job about how bigger the world seemed once she discovered the truth about aliens. How overwhelming it could be. Gwen's world had, once again, been smashed off-kilter and she needed the safety and security of the Hub to get things back in perspective. To be around people who understood, people she could talk to about everything that had happened. That was not something she could find outside of Torchwood.

"Ianto's fine. As is Tosh." He guided her over to the spot where both were still soundly asleep.

Gwen couldn't contain the mild surprise that graced her face. "Tosh is here?"

"She didn't want to be alone either." He gave her shoulder a brief squeeze. "So bunk room or do I grab you a mattress so you can sleep out here with them?"

"Do you really need to ask? Out here of course." It took as little time to get Gwen settled as it had for Tosh. They sat, Gwen drinking a sedative-laced cup of tea while chattering. Jack wasn't listening, not really. He was smiling, reveling in the fact that his track record was still secure. _For the last five decades, not one person has realized that when I offer them a cup of tea, it's always with sedative-laced. It's nice to know that some things never change._

He waited until Gwen's eyes fluttered shut, rescued the mug, and moved her into a comfortable position on the mattress. She immediately shifted, stretching one hand out toward Tosh until their fingertips touched and the other lifted up to clamp around Ianto's leg. Jack tried to undo her hand from around the man's leg but Gwen, even in sleep, was determined to get her own way. As soon as Jack would shift her arm, her hand would return to clutch Ianto. He gave up after the third attempt.

Twenty minutes later, Jack was just starting to lean another mattress against the metal chain railing near the cog door when the proximity alarm sounded again. The door had barely begun to roll back when Jack yelled out, "You're late."

Owen sauntered in, confusion and a touch of surprise on his face. "What in the bloody hell are you going on about, Harkness?"

"You're late. I expected you here five minutes ago." A sly grin spread across his face. "You couldn't be without my incredible charm and handsome looks a moment longer, could you?"

Sputtering with indignation, it took a few minutes for the man to calm down enough to be coherent. "Get over yourself! I came to check on Ianto."

"Of course you did." Ianto, if awake, would have been impressed with the deadpan delivery. "And it has nothing at all to do with the fact you don't want to be alone tonight."

"Not at all." Owen was practically bristling with indignation. "If I didn't want to be alone tonight, there are a dozen women I could have called to share my company. I'm just here to check on Ianto. I _am_ a doctor, after all, and he is injured."

Jack gave a slight smirk. "Keep telling yourself that, Owen but we both know the truth. Anyway," Jack patted the nearby mattress, "shift this over with the others and make yourself comfortable. I'll get you a cup of tea."

When Jack rejoined him, he was immensely surprised to find that Owen had set his mattress not near Gwen's as he'd expected. Instead the medic had chosen to place his mattress at the very end of the settee where Ianto's head was resting. "What are they doing here?"

"Like you, they didn't want to be alone." This time there was no belligerent denial.

Owen tilted his head towards Gwen who still gripped Ianto's leg. "Her arm's going hurt in the morning."

"She won't let go of him."

Jack held out the mug of tea. Instead of taking it, Owen looked at the women deep in sleep, then over his shoulder to the two discarded mugs on the nearby coffee table, before returning to glare at the mug gripped in Jack's hand.

"Uh, no thanks. I'd rather not be drugged tonight if it's all the same to you.

_Trust it to be skeptical, untrusting Owen to break my fifty-year track record._ Jack placed the mug with the others on the coffee table, before settling on the floor near Owen.

"How are you doing?"

With his usual bluster, Owen waved off the question. "Oh, you know me, Jack. Nothing at all gets to me, nothing at all."

Jack gave him a significant look, both fully aware that the words were nothing more than a bald-faced lie.

Owen shifted uncomfortably. Anything remotely personal or emotional was not an area he wished to explore. "So, the tea boy, he doing okay?"

"He's more than a tea boy! You know I hate it when you call him that."

Owen just smiled in his usual cocky way. "And that's exactly why I do. Answer the question. He doing okay?"

Jack glanced over at Ianto whose face, even in sleep, was tight with pain. "So far, he seems fine. He's been asleep for about two and a half hours."

"No nightmares?"

"None yet." Jack's fingers were itching to smooth the pain-induced wrinkles from Ianto's brow. Instead, he turned his attention to Owen. "You should get some sleep. It's been a long day."

"Yeah, alright. You gonna follow your own advice?"

Jack just shrugged before saying, "Maybe later." With that, he stood and went back to his office. He leaned back in his chair, ankles crossed where they rested on the desk. Staring up at the ceiling, he once again contemplated the state of his team. _Perhaps the foundations are there now. Perhaps with the right handling, we can pull together to be a real team._ Any further thoughts were stopped as a harsh scream rang out from the central area. Jack rushed to the door, even made it a few strides past, before he skidded to a stop.

Owen was bending over Ianto, firmly holding the man down by his shoulders as he thrashed and fought. Terror and fear gripped the man as he yelled over and over the same word. "Tosh!"

"She's safe, Ianto. You're safe. Calm down. Tosh is safe. It's just a nightmare." His calm voice was in direct contrast to the near panic evident on his face as he struggled to reassure the man. Eventually Owen's words finally made their impact. Ianto stopped thrashing, his body relaxing as the terror trickled away.

Jack wanted to dash over, wanted to comfort Ianto, wanted to help Owen calm the terrified man. Instinct, however, was telling him to hold off, to stand back and just observe. For once in his life, he put aside desire, not the easiest thing for him to do. He simply waited and watched.

"You okay, mate?"

Ianto blinked owlishly. "Owen?"

He released the death grip on Ianto's shoulders. "Yeah, it's me. Let me check you over. Make sure you didn't do yourself any more damage." With a tenderness that was lacking in his usual manner, Owen tested the bindings on Ianto's ribs and gently prodded the swelling on his forehead. "Everything seems okay, all things considered. How are you feeling?"

"I'm oka…" The panic from earlier returned to his eyes. "Owen! I can't move my leg."

Owen softly chuckled. "I'm not surprised with the death grip Gwen's got on it."

"Gwen?" Ianto struggled to an upright position with Owen providing careful support. Ianto's face was unreadable as he studied the sleeping women on the floor. "Tosh is here too?"

Owen didn't speak until he had the other man lying comfortably again. "Yeah, they were worried about you. I was too." As soon as he realized he'd revealed a little too much, he voice became gruff. "In a strictly medical sense, mind you. Don't give a damn about you in any sort of personal sense. You could be a sniveling ball of emotional tragedy and I wouldn't lift a finger, tea boy."

"Prat."

Jack was about to join them, to stop the impending argument he thought was brewing when he noticed the two men's lips lifted in slight grins. _Twenty-first century men! Completely incapable of emotional discussions more involved than rugby matches and the latest brew at the corner pub. _For not the first time since he'd found himself so far in his personal past, Jack yearned to be back in the fifty-first century when men and women felt no compulsion to hide their feelings behind bluster and gruffness. When Owen sank to sit on the floor and rest his back against the settee, Jack crept silently forward. Careful to not draw attention to himself, he positioned himself so he could eavesdrop on the low murmurs of the talking men.

Owen studied his left shoe as if it held all the answers to the mysteries of the universe; Ianto was equally enthralled with the weave and pattern of the plaid fabric covering the sofa. By all evidence they were wholly ignoring the other's presence.

"You didn't do so bad out there today."

A scoffing grunt was the only reply.

"Oi! None of that. You did what it took to keep Tosh and you alive. It'll be easier next time you're in the field."

Ianto, his face sad, bitter, and serious, turned his head so he could see Owen out of the corner of his eye. "There won't be a next time. Jack will never let me out in the field again after how I screwed up."

Rounding with anger, Owen heatedly said, "All evidence to the contrary, Jack's no fool so you will be out with us again. And just how in the hell do you think you screwed up?"

His reply was equally heated. "I allowed Tosh to get captured and then I got captured. I couldn't even make it so that she got away safely. They were still able to go after her when she escaped." The resulting loud laughter clearly surprised him and he blinked several times.

Owen settled back to study his shoe once again. "So you think you're better than the rest of us? Well, let me tell you. _I_ got caught. So did Gwen _after_ being shot. And Tosh, she got captured _twice_. So don't give me any of that."

Silence reigned for a few moments as Owen allowed Ianto to process things. "Seriously, you weren't bad out there. You just need some more training." He turned to throw a sly grin over his shoulder. "I'm certain Jack would be willing to give you some private lessons if you asked." Owen ducked quickly to avoid the cuff delivered in his direction.

After shifting in a vain attempt to get more comfortable, Ianto tentatively asked, "You really think I did alright today?"

"Yeah. Not what I would have done but, yeah, you were fine out there."

"And how would you have handled it?" There was no sarcasm or anger evident, just pure, genuine interest.

Losing interest in staring at his shoe, Owen reached over and adjusted the blanket covering Tosh. As he spoke, he brushed his hand along her hair, drawing the locks behind her ear. "Never, ever headbutt someone except as a last resort. You risk dazing yourself and then you get a rather painful knot on the head as a reward." He looked up and grinned at Ianto. "Not to mention all the colorful facial decorations. Take it from me, you have an ugly enough mug without adding bruises to the mix."

They shared a chuckle before Ianto turned serious. "So what would you have done?"

With a cocky grin and a snarky voice, Owen replied, "Knee 'em so hard that they choke to death on their balls."

"Yes, I can see the tactical advantages to that approach." Both men laughed heartily following the dry reply. The laughter continued until Ianto clutched his injured ribs, breath coming in short, painful gasps, eyes clenched in agony.

Standing silently a few feet away, Jack continued to resist the desire to rush in to help. Instead, knowing Owen was more than capable of handling the situation, he turned, quietly making his way to the bunk room. When he returned, mattress in hand, he found Owen giving several pills to Ianto while holding out a bottle of water. He strode up, making enough noise so as not to startle the two men.

"Owen, shift!" He waited for the medic to move before purposefully positioning the mattress so it lined up with Ianto's torso.

Leaning against the sofa, one arm lightly resting next to Ianto's body, he turned his attention to Owen, who was clearly fighting off sleep. "Get some rest. I'll keep an eye on Ianto."

Seeing the concern flickering in the depths of his eyes, Jack, with a reassuring voice, added, "I promise to wake you if there's need."

With a final glance at Ianto, Owen positioned himself on his mattress, curved an arm under the pillow, and closed his eyes. Neither Jack nor Ianto spoke until they heard the deep, smooth breathing indicating sleep issuing from the medic.

Turning his attention back to the injured man resting next to him, Jack trailed a gentle finger along Ianto's bruised chest. The resulting hitch in the man's breathing caused Jack to smile lightly. "How are you doing?"

"Never been better, sir."

Jack gave him a mock scowl. "I've told you to call me Jack."

The mischievous glint was back in his eyes. "I do believe I recall an occasion or two when you have made that particular request." There was a slight pause before he added, "Sir."

He chuckled, moving from trailing a finger down the man's chest, to grasping their hands together. "Just what am I going to do with you, Ianto Jones?" He lowered his voice to a husky tone. "I know what I'd like to do with you but I fear you aren't up to that just now." A playful seriousness was evident in his eyes as he caught Ianto's attention. "Here's where you remind me of harassment."

He was mildly surprised when, instead of a witty retort, Ianto turned their hands so their fingers intertwined. Jack's brilliant smile was met by a much shyer one from Ianto.

Jack settled more comfortably against the settee, careful to keep their hands twined together. "You really impressed me today. You kept your wits about you and created a situation so Tosh could get free. You were magnificent. With the right training, you're going to be a very impressive field agent. So, Ianto, when you are feeling better, I want you to come up with a training schedule." He leaned in so that his lips would brush the man's ear when he whispered. "Just make sure to schedule plenty of private sessions." Jack smirked at the resulting increased breathing before he pulled back.

There was a stunned look before Ianto firmly shook himself. "Y…yes, sir. I'll get on that first thing in the morning."

They stayed there, in a comfortable silence, simply enjoying the fact that they had regained the easy, relaxed relationship they had had before the incident with Lisa. When Jack noticed Ianto's eyes drooping with exhaustion, he leaned over. "You get some sleep. I'll be right here all night. I promise."

Ianto gave a slight nod before closing his eyes. When Jack tried to untwine their fingers, he tightened his hand significantly, clearly expressing he needed the tactile contact.

Jack reached down to place his nearby pillow behind his back. It wasn't the easiest or most graceful of moves with one of his hands firmly clenched by Ianto but he finally managed to make himself more comfortable. He looked at the four men and women deeply sleeping around him and couldn't keep the contented smile from his lips. _I finally got what I wanted. After all this time, I've finally got a team in reality as well as theory._

He stayed there the rest of the night. Keeping watch over them, his exasperating, infuriating, flawed, annoying, insane, maddening, wonderful, brilliant, perfect **team**.


End file.
